Device for securing elements to a wire grid

ABSTRACT

A device for fastening elements to at least one first grating composed of wires, the device has at two essentially flat elements which are connectable to each other and clampable around the wires of the at least first grating, the elements having at least one side with side edges and ribs provided along the side edges of the at least one side of the elements and leaving corner regions of the side edges open, the ribs having sides, the sides of the ribs and the sides of the elements being placeable at least partially against the wires of the at least first grating, the at least one side of the at least one having a first raised area with a surface area that is smaller than a surface area of the at least one element, the first raised area being provided with a second raised area with a surface area that is smaller than the surface area of the first raised area, the second raised area having sides, the sides of the second raised area and the surface area of the first raised area being arranged to rest at least partially against the wires of a second grating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on a device for fastening elements to a gratingcomprised of wires. Usually, binding wires, sheet metal strips that canbe suspended and crimped, or sheet metal elements that can be rivetedare used to fasten elements, such as signs, information panels, handles,or the like, to a grating comprised of wires. These parts have thedisadvantage that they must be cut to length for each use and aresometimes expensive to mount.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an object of present invention to provide a device forfastening elements to a grating comprised of wires which avoids thedisadvantages of the prior art.

In keeping with these objects, one feature of present invention resides,briefly stated, in the device of this type in which two essentially flatelements are provided that are connectable to each other and used toclamp around the wires of the grating.

The device according to the invention for fastening elements to gratingcomprised of wires, has the advantage over the prior art that it issimple to mount. It is particularly advantageous to provide at least oneof the elements with projections which encompass in a form-fittingmanner with the grating since the device is thus adjusted in itsposition. In this connection, it is particularly advantageous to providethe device with projections so that the device can be fastened todifferent gratings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing andwill be explained in detail below. The sole FIGURE shows a device andtwo symbolically depicted different gratings in a perspective, explodedview.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The FIGURE shows a device 10 which is comprised of two essentially flatelements 12 which can be connected to each other and which have a squaresurface area. The one side of the elements 12, which is labeled 14 inthe FIGURE, is embodied as flat and has rounded edges. On the otherside, which is referred to below has the mounting side 15, projectionsin the form of ribs 18 are embodied along the side edges 16 and leavethe corner regions of the side edges 16 open. A square raised area 20 isformed onto the center of the mounting side 15 and has a surface area 22that is smaller than the mounting side 15. A second raised area 24 isformed onto the first raised area 20 and has a surface area 26 that issmaller than the surface area 22 of the first raised area 20. The edgelength of the raised area 24 advantageously corresponds to the length ofthe ribs 18. In the center of the elements 12, recesses are providedthrough which fastening means, not shown, can be inserted and which havethe form of an oblong hole 28. Next to the one long side of an oblonghole 28 a recess in the form of a bore 30 is embodied in the secondraised area 24. Next to the other side of the oblong hole 28, a splitpin 32 is provided on the second raised area 24. The bore 30 and the pin32 are embodied so that when the elements 12 are assembled, a press fitis produced.

Two first wires 34 of a mesh of a first grating 36 are symbolicallydepicted in the right region of an element 12 in the FIGURE and twosecond wires 38 of a mesh of a second grating 40 are symbolicallydepicted in the left region of the element 12. The wires 34, 38 can beembodied as straight rods or in a wavy shape of the type that is knownin woven wire gratings. The wires 34 are embodied as thicker than thewires 38 and are arranged in such a way that a larger mesh widths isproduced than with the wires 38. The opposing sides 42 of the ribs 18are spaced so that they rest against the wires 38 of the grating 36. Theheight of the ribs 18 is dimensioned so that the regions of the mountingside 15 adjoining them likewise rest against the wires 34 of the grating16 when the elements 12 are assembled. The height of the sides 44 of thesecond raised area 24 is dimensioned so that when the elements 12 aremounted onto a grating, the wires 38 of the second grating 40 restagainst the sides 44 of the second raised area 24 and against thesurface area 22 of the first raised area 20 encompassing the sides 44.Due to this advantageous embodiment of the ribs 18 and the raised areas20, 24, both the grating 36 and the grating 40 can be encompassed by thedevice 10 in a form-fitting manner, as a result of which the device 10can be affixed to different gratings 36, 40. Moreover, both the heightof the ribs 18 and the heights of the raised areas 20, 24 aredimensioned so that they do not at first touch when the elements 12 aremounted to a grating 36, 40; i.e. they are less than half the thicknessof a grating 36 or 40.

In order to mount the device 10, a first element 12 is initially heldagainst a grating 36, 40 so that it encompasses a mesh of the grating36, 40 in a form-fitting manner. Then, another element 12 is guidedagainst the grating 36, 40 from the other side. Finally, the twoelements 12 are pressed together. Through the embodiment of the opposingbores 30 and pins 32, the two elements 12 can be pressed together bylight finger pressure in order to clamp around the wires (34, 38) of thegrating (36, 40). Finally, another element that is not shown, forexample a sign, an information panel, or a door handle, can be fastenwith a screw and a nut to the device 10 and consequently to the grating36 or 40. By means of the above-described dimensioning of the heights ofthe ribs 18 and the raised areas 20, 24, the elements 12 are pressedtogether so that they touch only by means of being screwed together witha screw and a nut. As a result, manufacture-induced tolerances of thegratings 36, 40 can be eliminated.

The device 10 for fastening elements to a grating 36, 40 comprised ofwires 34, 38 is a simple, inexpensive component made of plastic, whichcan easily be mounted to different gratings 36, 40.

Different modifications of the device 10 are conceivable. In lieu of thebore 30 and the pin 32, for example, continuous bores can also beprovided, through which screws are guided that hold the two elements 12together by means of nuts. It is also possible for the two elements 12to be embodied differently. For example, a first modified element canhave ribs and raised areas and a second modified element can be embodiedmerely as a plate with flat surfaces on both sides. In lieu of plastic,the device 10 can also be embodied, for example, as a diecast metal partand consequently can transmit higher forces. In addition to a squaresurface area, other surface areas are also conceivable which arerespectively adapted to the different mesh forms of gratings. If higherforces are to be transmitted, modified devices can also be used whichare comprised of more than two elements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for fastening elements to at least onefirst grating composed of wires, the device comprising at least twoessentially flat elements which are connectable to each other andclampable around the wires of the at least first grating, said elementshaving at least one side with side edges, ribs provided along said sideedges and leaving corner regions of said side edges being open, saidribs having sides, said sides of said ribs and said at least one side ofsaid elements being placeable at least partially against the wires ofthe at least first grating, wherein a square, first raised area isformed onto a center portion of said at least one side of at least oneof said elements, said square, first raised area having a surface areathat is smaller than a surface area of said at least one element,wherein a second raised area is formed onto said square, first raisedarea, said second raised area having a surface area that is smaller thanthe surface area of said first raised area, said second raised areahaving sides, said sides of said second raised area and said surfacearea of said first raised area being arranged to rest at least partiallyagainst wires of a second grating.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1,wherein at least one of said elements has projections for encompassingthe at least one first grating in a form-fitting manner.
 3. A device asdefined in claim 1, wherein said elements are identical.
 4. A device asdefined in claim 1, wherein one of said elements has at least one recesswhile the other of said elements has at least one projection formed sothat said elements are connectable to each other by a press fit.
 5. Adevice as defined in claim 1,wherein said elements are provided with arecess for fastening means.
 6. A device as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid elements are composed of plastic.
 7. A device as defined in claim1, wherein said elements are composed of metal.
 8. A device as definedin claim 1, wherein said elements are dimensioned so that they onlytouch each other when pressed together by fastening means.